


Aftermath

by hanashiotsuki



Category: Heathers (1988)
Genre: F/M, Hallucinations, Mental Illness, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, but not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-16 02:38:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7248745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanashiotsuki/pseuds/hanashiotsuki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Veronica's been told it's time to move on. She doesn't agree.<br/>[work abandoned, many apologies. thank you for your continued support.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn't exactly make sense atm but hopefully will soon (oooh spooky)

‘I’m FINE!’ Veronica had been yelling this at the top of her lungs for ten minutes now. It was unlikely, but perhaps there would be some form of hope left if she persisted. ‘I’m fucking fine! You don’t need to take me there!’ The two burly and muscular men drowned out her pleas as her helpless body was thrown into the backseat of a taxi, destined to carry her to her worst fears.   
‘You know where to go.’


	2. One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to start adjusting and stop dwelling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pervy adult alert

Puffing on her last cigarette, feet dangling over the window ledge, teetering ever closer to a treacherous fall, Veronica Sawyer gazed into the night sky as if she were the protagonist in a cheesy rom-com and was just about to find what she was looking for after wishing on a dying star. Except her life wasn’t like a movie anymore. She’d failed to consider the painful aftermath of her and J.D’s thrill-killings. But now it had come and smacked little Ronnie in the face. J.D was dead, and she’d been left to pick up the pieces – or entrails – that he’d left behind. Until tomorrow, though, she could relax and enjoy the last few hours before the questions began. 

‘Veronica, dear. Did you even sleep last night?’   
‘Mom, my boyfriend died.’ She sighed, her head lowered, eyes fixated on the patterns of the table cloth that had lain there since she was four. ‘Please don’t interrogate me right now.’  
‘Well…’ Lynne Sawyer’s speech trailed off. She had the faint thought in the back of her brain that her daughter would never be the same again. That bright and sparkling young girl with a prosperous future had suddenly died, and the mourning time seemed to have already passed without her knowledge.   
‘I need to go. Bye.’ She disappeared in what felt like a fraction of a second. It was tragic, really. Her time should have become more valuable with recent events, but it now came off as insignificant. 

‘Good Morning, Miss Sawyer.’ The Principal of Westerburg shuffled through his papers, not succeeding in disguising his intense nerves and sweat patches. ‘I suppose you’re wondering why I’ve called you here.’  
‘No, not really.’ She replied flatly, slumped in a chair usually designated to delinquents and representatives of corporations he was trying to scrounge money off.   
‘Yes. We understand you had a connection to Mr Dean.’  
‘J.D’   
‘How would you describe this connection? Was it sexual?’  
‘You fucking pervert!’ What would normally be a shrill exclaim emerged as a pathetic cry, accompanied by cold, hollow laughter.   
‘Anyway,’ He had a great talent for ignoring points, even if they’d come from him. ‘As the only one who seems to have known him, you will undoubtedly be approached by some media outlets. You must tell them he was different to the others, unpopular, and this was unprecedented. It’s close to becoming a scandal that we really don’t need today.’ The clearly superior man slid a list titled ‘You must remember to….’ Over to her side.   
‘This is a joke.’ Veronica grabbed the paper and began tearing it to shreds. ‘A boy died! He blew himself up, the least you could do is give him a tiny amount of respect.’ She’d now raised out of her seat, the fire that once burned beginning to return, though only as a flicker.  
‘Alright, calm down miss. We’ve arranged for you to see the guidance counsellor, to help you with all this. You should be excited. You could be on Television.’  
‘You’re a disgusting piece of shit.’ Her fingers curled in rage as she walked through the doors at breakneck speed. Upon entering the halls, it became apparent that classes had already begun. Nobody was in sight, so Veronica thought it best to skip this period. Perhaps the whole day. She maintained her pace, not checking to see any stragglers or wandering teachers who could interfere with the plans. Her brisk steps came to a halt when she emerged from the red doors and her eyes fixated on that spot. It was poorly taped off, and the remainders of him were scarce. All that rage, all that love and passion and lust that they had. It was all gone, wiped from existence as soon as the countdown was up. An entire life, somebody she’d loved. Not just a greasy guy off the football team that Heather had set her up with and she only let him reign free on her body to prevent ridicule. J.D wasn’t like that. He had some knowledge of how people worked and how to get them to do his bidding. Almost god-like. Almost. She finally gathered up the energy to walk on, down the steps, no particular destination. At least that was the original thought.   
‘Isn’t it school hours now?’ The dropout who minded the cash register at Snappy Snack shack was around two years older than his customer, but no better off. He hadn’t escaped the clutches of the hell that is Sherwood.   
‘Yeah, I just…’ Veronica fumbled with her cash, trying to find an excuse for her presence. ‘Yeah.’  
‘Skipping?’ He smirked and took the money. ‘I get it.’ A casual conversation full of small talk was not what she needed right now. ‘Did you say cherry or coke slushie?’ The girl swallowed, trying to ignore the last time she’d heard those exact words.   
‘Cherry.’   
‘Good choice. Hey, you go to Westerburg, right?’ Veronica sighed as it became apparent an interaction was inevitable.   
‘Yeah, I do.’ She was giving the man every single signal of “Don’t fucking talk to me” that existed, but he persisted.   
‘You know the boy who blew himself up? I could’ve sworn I’ve seen you with him in here.’ Not now, she pleaded internally. Anything but this. ‘I heard it was super gross, really interesting if you think about it.’   
‘Do you mind if we don’t talk about this right now?’ With every second that passed she grew more impatient, her fingers tapping on the counter.   
‘Fine then,’ He seemed taken aback by this sudden refusal, but he slid the cup towards her, accompanied by a forced smile. ‘Here’s your drink, have a good day.’   
‘Thanks.’ Veronica turned and walked out of the door onto the street. It had now passed 12, so there were only a few hours left until she could return home. She took a hit of the icy heaven and it filled her head with a dull ache. It was better than whatever she was feeling right now. The sidewalk was empty, until a familiar voice sounded behind her.   
‘So, I hear you’re missing me?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it will get more interesting i promise


	3. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica speaks with a few of her fears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk what that part with jd was either sorry

‘Is this some kind of sick joke?’ She leaned over the sink scrubbed at her face with the water, like she was trying to get him out.   
‘You tell me.’ J.D smirked, inspecting the small space that was the bathroom.   
‘You’re dead. You fucking died right in front of me.’ She turned to face him, scanning up and down to see if he was a hologram.  
‘Yep.’   
‘Do you mind giving me an explanation?’   
‘Veronica…’ J.D’s voice lowered as he moved closer towards her, his hand pushing her hair back from her face. ‘When has anything we’ve ever done needed an explanation?’ Her eyes slid shut as she felt the warmth of his lips on her own, and his hand placed on her back.   
‘I.. I fucking missed you.’ Their breathing quickened, becoming more like panting the more they carried on.   
‘I know you did,’ His hands made his way down the length of her body, and Veronica found herself in sweet bliss for a moment.   
‘Ronnie!’ her mother cooed. ‘Dinners ready!’ Suddenly she was all alone again, scratching at her arms to feel something. It was all in her head. He was gone forever, she was a fool for thinking otherwise. 

‘How are you feeling today, Victoria?’ The woman was disheveled and always tended to make everyone she was near feel like they’d forgotten something essential.   
‘I feel like shit, what else?’ The walls of the office were covered in posters with pseudo-intellectual ‘motivational’ quotes that peeled at the edges. In fact, the entire room was falling apart, almost like it was imitating the hopes of all the students who landed there. ‘And it’s Veronica.’  
‘Why is that, Veronica?’ She made a large emphasis on her name, acting almost offended at the correction.   
‘I don’t know if you’ve been living in a box or something, but four people killed themselves in the last two weeks. I’m hardly gonna be a ray of sunshine.’ She wasn’t normally that much of a bitch, at least that’s what she’d say. It was completely normal to her that she had a right to act like this in a bad situation.  
‘Were you close to these people, Veronica? Did you care?’   
‘Stop saying my name like that. Well the first – Heather - was my best friend, or worst enemy depending on your perspective. The other two –Kurt and Ram-‘   
‘The fags?’   
‘Uh, yeah.’ She couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt over this. It was all her fault, they were probably straight as poles, but now people couldn’t help but toss round homophobic comments now that they ‘‘knew’’. ‘They were just jocks, you know… selfish pricks. The last… J.D. We were together, I guess. It was kind of going, but that’s it.   
‘Do you feel guilty for their deaths?’ Her chin rested on her hand as the session changed from helping to collecting gossip.  
‘What?’ The nature of the question startled the girl, taking her out of the deep train of thought that was trundling along. ‘Why would I?’  
‘You feel responsible, seeing as you were so close.’  
‘No I don’t!’ She snapped in response, feeling defensive, as if she was onto her.  
‘Calm down, dear.’  
‘You just accused me of being responsible for all this, what is wrong with you?’   
‘God, Veronica.’ A condescending voice chuckled behind her, resting her elbow on Veronica's shoulder, Heather Chandler was clad in bright red. Obnoxious and intimidating as ever, she seemed like an exaggerated version of herself, hair bigger, lips brighter, scrunchie in plain sight on her wrist. A monster, capable of sucking the life out of everything. Not too different to her form when she was living. ‘You’re giving yourself away, you fuckhead.’   
‘Shut up Heather, you’re dead! Stay dead! You can’t do shit!’ Her pleas sounded pathetic compared to Heather's booming tone.   
‘Well, at least this time you can realise that and you won’t try and make a pass at me. But hey, don’t you miss when we had that?’ The blonde bent down, so her mouth was directly next to Veronica’s ear. ‘Wasn’t it fun?’   
‘Fuck off!’ She squirmed to the opposite side of the chair, trying to easily get away from the other girl. ‘You know that meant nothing and it’s only because you were lonely.’ Her repressed memories of that night were not ready to emerge, and she willed herself to somehow get Heather to stop.  
‘Veronica?’ The woman sat across from her broke into her discomfort. ‘Are you feeling alright?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the kinda rushed ending to the chapter/slow updating school is very stressful atm but i have summer in a few weeks so yay anyway hope u enjoyed


End file.
